Cable assemblies having multiple conductors frequently are provided with RFI (radio frequency interference) shielding of EMI (electromagnetic interference) shielding, and this shielding may be a braided conduit or a flexible metal conduit. Such cable assemblies frequently are also subject to EMC (electromagnetic compatability) requirements. A typical braided conduit is tin over copper, in which wires or thin filaments of tin over copper are braided to form the conduit. Another typical material is stainless steel. The electrical connector termination typically has a plurality of apertures to receive each wire in the cable assembly. Moreover, in order to make the connection between the individual wire and the aperture therefor, provision must be made which tends to occupy additional space, sometimes involving jumper connections. The electrical connector termination thus has an outside diameter which is substantially greater than that of the cable. These cables are useful in the aerospace commerical program and elsewhere.
In the present art one method of connecting the braided shielding of the cable assembly to the electrical connector is as follows. An additional length of braided conduit is fitted in part snugly over one end of the connector and also partly placed in contact with the regular braided conduit and soldering connections are made. Measurements of connections such as these have indicated resistance as high as 24 ohms. Thus the connection is unsatisfactory and it is also somewhat cumbersome to apply.
A second technique is the use of a back-shell adaptor which involves a substantial length of rigid metal-like material, one end of which is provided with means to grasp the braided conduit and the other end of which screws over the electrical connector. This provides highly efficient shielding but the shielding costs are relatively high. Furthermore, dimensional requirements are severe in that the outer diameter of the back shell cannot exceed the other diameter of the connector, and this requirement frequently leaves insufficient room inside the back shell.
In my said co-pending application Ser. No. 730,215, I have disclosed a method in which a conductive connection is molded directly onto the electrical connector and braided conduit shielding the cable assembly. However, some manufacturers wish to put terminations on cables at their own factories, and it makes this operation easier if they can purchase as a component part a single, simple component which then can be used in their manufacturing procedures.